Disintegrating and conveying chain



Sept. 1, 1953 J. F. JOY

DISINTEGRATING AND CONVEYING CHAIN Filed Nrch 29, 1949 lll II [i2 ven Z029: ep?? E Jog.

ZZU M2 ey.

Sept. l, 1953 J. F. JOY

DISINTEGRATING AND CONVEYING CHAIN Filed March 2Q, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. l, 1953 J. F. JOY

DISINTEGRATING AND CONVEYING CHAIN Filed MaIOh 29, 1949 5 SheetswSheet 3 .WANN

o 3 [220e dan l @56,022 Relay.

J. F. JOY

DISINTEGRATING AND CONVEYING CHAIN Sept. l, 19/53 5 Sheecs-Sheei'l 4 Filed March 29, 1949 Ifig.

Jasepzi? Jay. 9 a g f@ Sept. l, 1953 1 F, JOY

DISINTEGRATING AND CONVEYING CHAIN 5 SheeTs-Sheml 5 Filed March 29, 1949 0/ JW. 4%, 5 MM. J1. j. im .MJ liuc/@ml E .y Z am F m f im y 6 5 EN f y (E f 7 Patented Sept. l, 1953 UNITED PATENT 2,650,812 iDISINTEGLRATING vAND CONVEYING CHAIN loseph LF. Joy, Pittsburgh, ya., assigner to Joy Manufacturing iCompany, Pittsburgh, Pa., a .corporation.ofiBennsylvania Application Marchg29, 1949, `Serial No. "84;128

iClaimS- ...l

This invention .relates zto mining chains vand .more particularly `to .a disintegrating `and conveying -chain :adapted for .use with the vein- -attacking ,and disintegrating .head .of .a .contnuous mining apparatus.

In .a ycontinuous mining .apparatus of thetype disclosed in the-copending applications to John D. Russell, Ser. No. 4.754.21fand John R. .Sibley, Ser. No. 147,422, now abandoned, which `have fbeen :replaced by continuation-impart .applications Ser. Nos. 102,995 and 102,996, respectively, `both lledonJuly 5, 19.49, vand .owned fby applicants assignee, .a -mine vein-.attacking :and disintegrating head is provided for attacking in succession a seriesof .relatively wide, vertical segments of coal :or other mineral for .dislodging the latter in relatively 4 large"fragments .from a solid coal seam or mine vein. 'I-heattacking and disinte grating head includesa -barstructure providing guideways on which `a series of -paralleldisintegrating chains `are guided for/circulation in -vertical orbital paths and Athese'chains-carry ydisintegrating instruments which dig into and yrip or tear -out the -coal -or other miner-al -as the attacking and disintegrating -head is -fed `in va suitable-manner-with-respect tothe-face or seam or vein, as is fully/disclosedin the lapplications above referred to. The present invention contemplates improvements vover known -types Vof disintegratingchains whereby l the attacking and disintegrating #head-may be -fed to `effect vdisintegration of Ythe -solid coal or other mineral in an improved and extremely Aeffective Ania-nner. The disintegratingand conveying chaingof the present invention is Aci the so -callgedpontinuous matt-ype 'formed to receive -and convey disintegrated material, `and is extremely "compact and rugged'in design, and `may 'be'operated rapidly and relatively -smootnly to ldislodge -the coal `or other mineralirom--the Vsolid andJ to conveythe disintegrated coalor other minerakrapidly away from the face asn-dislodged, thereby greatlyex- Apeditingitne production of ,coal or other mineral.

A-n object vof -the present invention is to V,provide an improved mining vchain constructed in anovel manner and carrying disintegratinginst-rurnentsA whereby coal. or other mineral may be dislodged fromthe solid in an extremely loliective manner. Another object is toprovide an improved disintegrating and conveying chain of the .eo-'called continuous mat type whereby relatively 4great strength, due to ruggedness in .design, and extreme compactness are attained. Still another object 'is `to provide an .improved disintegrating chain :for ,the vein-.attacking and disintegratingihead of a. continuougminingapparatus, whereby, due to kthe relatively smooth operation ofthe chain, vibrations setup within the apparatus during the dislodging yoperation arereduced'to a minimum. `Affnrther Objectis toprovideaan improved kcontinuous Inattype disintegrating and conveyingchainjhaving aeries of closely spaced, cooperating chain elements which provide a top surface for receiving and Conveying disintegrated material- Still another .object :is :to provide lan improved mat vtype dis.- integrating and .Conveying ,chain having Va Yseries Yof .closely spaced, `hinged fchain elements ,which include at spaced points along the length of the ychain .a series of .transverse vsupporting-n reari'sffor disintegrating instruments. A still further object is to provide an improvedfdSntegratin-gand conveying chain carrying -atspaced points along its, length, by saidsupporting means, detachable cross bars which carry digging ordisintegrating fteeth, 'and `which mayibe :readily detached lfrom the chain in the event the teeth needreforming or sharpening. Yet ianotherobject is toprovide an improveddisintegrating andconveying chain -for a continuous mining apparatus, .whichrcarries at .points spaced .along .its length, -transverse supporting means .providing transverse guideways `for receiving elongated :cross :bars each .of which-carries a series of digging anddisintegrating teeth. Another-object iis .to provideanimproved releasable :means for securing the cross bars inoperative position on the transverse supporting means and which may .be readily .released to permit removal'of thewcrossbars. Yet another-object is =toprovide, in anendless disintegrating and conveying chain of the above character, Ysupporting vmeans which comprise transverse rows of closely yspaced ,chainblocks having aligned Iguidevvays for receiving lthe toothed cross bars. -A fu-rtherfobject is'to provide la ,detachable cross bar nfor afdisintegrating chain which carries a series of disintegrating Iteeth which are suitably hard'faced or otherwise provided with Wear resisting `d isintegratingA-points whereby relatively ,looeglife and improved effi- Vciency;` are obtained. A stilliurther object is to provide `an 'improved endless ,disintegrating and ,oonveyingchain of the .continuous met .type hoving novel features of construction Iv'hesepand other obiectsansiadvantages of .theinveotion will. however, Ahoreinafter .more .fully appear in Athe .course of the.ensuing-.description In the. accompanying orawingsthereare .shown for purposesmof illpstrallion two `forms ,which the invention may assume inria-.etico- .Io these drawings:

Fig. ,l .is .a plan View ,of. a .continuous mining apparatus, .With the rearward portion .broken away, Within yyvhilia .preferred .illustrative embodimentof .the invention .is ...incorporated Fig., 2 is. .a Asiffle elevational View of .theminios apparatusshown in Figi.

Fig. Sis an enlargedhorizontal sectional view taken substantially on lthe planes of line 3 3 of:Fig:2.

Fig '4 'is an enlarged viewV in v central longitudinal vertical section taken substantially ,online 44 neng. 1,- showing .the veinfette'ekine .and ciisintegratingilieaV 'Figfjis a cross sectional view takenon line 5 "5 of Fig. 4, illustrating the details of a pre- 3 ferred form of the improved disintegrating and conveying chain.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan view of a section of the improved disintegrating and conveying chain shown in Fig. 5.

Figs. 7 and 8 are cross sectional v iews taken respectively on line 1-1 and 8-8 of Fig. `6, illu'strating structural details.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail section taken on line 9--9 of Fig. 6, showing the toothed cross bars. I

Fig. 10 is an enlarged side elevational view of the chain section shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary sectional view, similar to Fig. 4, showing the vein-attacking and disinegrating head equipped with a disintegrating and conveying chain of modified construction.

Fig. 12 is a framgentary plan view of the disintegrating and conveying chain shown in Fig. 11, on a larger scale.

Figs. 13 and 14 are enlarged detail sectional views taken on lines I3--l3 and I4--l-4 respectively of Fig. 12.

Fig. 15 is a cross sectional view taken on line 15-I5 of Fig. l2.

In this illustrative construction, as shown in drawings, the improved disintegrating and conveying chain is shown incorporated in a continuous mining apparatus of the type fully disclosed i in the above mentioned Russell and Sibley applications. The improved disintegrating and conveying chain is also of a type which may be associated with continuous mining apparatus such as that disclosed in an earlier filed application of Harold F. Silver, Ser. No. 11,688, filed Feb. 27, 1948, also owned by applicants assignee, and it will further be understood that the invention may be embodied in various other types of digging and disintegrating equipment.

The continuous mining apparatus shown herein is generally designated l and includes a mobile base 2, desirably a crawler base, having a frame 3, and swivelly mounted on the base frame at 4 to swing in horizontal planes with respect to the base is a frame 5. The swivelled frame 5 has a forwardly projecting frame portion 6 projecting in advance of the base and providing horizontal guideways on which a slidable frame l is guided for rectilinear horizontal movement along radial lines with respect to the swivel axis 4. Pivotally and any loose material on the floor may be directed rearwardly by the gathering device onto the front conveyor l l.

As is fully disclosed in the above mentioned Russell and Sibley applications hydraulic cylinder and piston devices I6, I6 mounted transversely on the base areV operatively connected to the frame 5 for swinging the attacking and disintegrating head horizontally about the swivel axis 4 relative to the base. Hydraulic cylinder and piston devices I1, l1 extending longitudinally in parallelism on the swivelled frame 5 are operatively connected to the sliding frame l for moving the attacking and disinegrating head back and forth along the frame guideways. Hydraulic cylinder and piston devices I8 are connected between the sliding frame and the frame structure 9 for swinging the attacking and disintegrating head in vertical planes about the pivot 8. A hydraulic cylinder and piston device I9 is provided for tilting the gathering device I4. Since these cylinder and piston devices and the control valve means therefor are fully disclosed in the above mentioned Russell and Sibley applications further description thereof is herein unnecessary.

As is also disclosed in the Russell and Sibley applications above referred to, motors 2i, 2| on the swivelled frame 5 at the opposite sides of the hopper l2, are connected by self-adjusting, telescopic drive shaft connections 22 to longitudinal shafts 23 suitably journalled in gear housings 24 attached to the opposite sides of the forward portion of the sliding frame 1. Gears 25 fixed to these shafts mesh with gears 28 secured to parallel shafts likewise suitably journalled in the gear housings. Secured to these parallel shafts are worms (not shown) meshing with worm wheels 21 which drive gears 28 meshing with gears 29 keyed to the opposite ends of a transverse shaft 30, arranged with its axis in c0- incidence with the pivotal axis 8 of the swingable frame structure 9. A multiple-toothed sprocket 3l is splined to the shaft 30 and engages and drives the disintegrating and conveying chain l0, to effect circulation of the latter about the guideways on the frame structure with its upper run mounted at 8 on the sliding frame to swing in vertical planes with respect thereto is a frame or bar structure 9 of a vein-attacking and disintegrating head, and the improved disintegrating and conveying chain generally designated I0 is guided for circulation in a vertical orbital path about guideways on the frame structure 9. The attacking and disintegrating head may be operated to dig into and tear loose large fragments of the solid coal or other mineral from the coal seam or mine vein and the disintegrated material is moved rearwardly by the top run of the disintegrating and conveying chain and discharged onto a front conveyor Il which conveys the disintegrated material rearwardly to discharge into a hopper l2 arranged coaxially with the swivel 4 and carried by the base frame. A rear discharge conveyor I3 removes the disintegrated material from the hopper and conveys the disintegrated material rearwardly of the apparatus to a suitable point of delivery. A gathering device or shovel I4 is carried by the sliding frame 1 beneath the attacking and disintegrating head, for cleaning up the floor in advance of the base,

moving rearwardly. The frame structure 9 includes top and bottom plates 32 and 33 and carried at the outer end of the frame structure is a guide roller 34 and the disintegrating and conveying chain is guided along these plates and about the guiding roller. Since the driving means for the disintegrating chain and bar structure are fully disclosed in the Russell and Sibley applications further description thereof is herein unnecessary.

Now referring to the improved disintegrating and conveying chain shown in Figs. l to 10 inclusive it will be noted that the chain comprises a series of closely spaced, narrow, elongated cross supports or chain blocks 35 herein arranged in transverse rows across the width of the chain `at points spaced lengthwise of the latter, and the end blocks of each row, at the sides of the chain, have lateral gibs 3G which are slidingly received in the guideways of the frame structure 9, in the t gaging. the pivot rods are series of closely spaced parallel connecting links or straps' whichconnect the chain` blocks together `to form anendless chain. The pivot rods maintainthe straps and blocks against lateral displacement. The spaces 43 between theA straps 4Z receive the teeth of the drive sprocket (Fig. 4), with the teeth drivingly engaging the end surfaces of the. chain` blocks in an obvious manner.. Thev numerous connecting links in conjunction with the series of chain blocks and the close spacing of. the links and blocks result in an. endless chain of the extremely compact: and rugged mat type which provides a substantially continuous, moving top surface for receiving and conveyingA disintegrated material as itis dislodged from the solid- The chain blocks of each transverse. row have aligned transverse guideways which receive cross bars or slidesV 4'5 which.v are formed! with a series or transverse. row of laterally spaced digging or disintegrating teeth 4E. Thus the blocks of each transverse row cooperate to provide transverse supporting.' means for a toothed cross bar. Evidently, instead of the provision ofV a series of transverse rows of chain blocks, a series of single cross links may be employed and each crosslink may have series of closely spaced front and rear perforated lugs for receiving the pivot pins, and each cross link may have an elongated guideway for receiving a toothed cross bar. The intermediate teeth of each cross` bar are desirably arranged normal to the path of Chain travel while the side teeth are inclined laterally, and the teeth on certain ones of the cross bars are staggered with respect to the teeth of others to provide for proper lacing of the teeth in a well-known manner. In the construction disclosed every other one of the cross bars is of slightly greater length than the others, as shown in Figs. 6, 'l and 8, and the outer teeth of' the longer crossbars are inclined outwardly at a substantial. angle, in the manner shown. Desirably the disintegrating points 41 of the teeth are hard faced at 48 or otherwise provided with wear resisting surfaces. When the cross bars are properly slid into place Within the guideways of the chain blocks a pair of set screws 49 on each cross bar are adjustable into apertures 50 in the adjacent chain blocks for rigidly securing theA cross bars in position on the chain. In the event the teeth of the-crossbars need reforming or sharpening as the result of wear or breakage the set screws may be released to permit ready endwise withdrawal of the cross bars from the chain block guideways. It will be noted that the tips of the teeth lie relatively close to the chain links, so that lever action is minimized during distintegration of the coal or other mineral, thereby reducing the binding tendency and increasing the ruggedness of the chain.

In the modied construction shown in Figs. 1l to l inclusive the chain blocks and straps and the chain block guideways are similar to those abovedescribed. In this instance, the cross bars or slides d3' have on their outer' surfaces laterally spaced lugsv 54 formed with longitudinal sockets 55' opening through the front andv rear ends of the lugs (Fig. 13). A double endecLreversible disintegrating bit 56 of the type disclosed in my copending application SenNo. 57,047, -led October 28, 1948, has a body formed by `'relatively inclined portions 5l and 5S disposed at an obtuse angle and terminating in disintegrating points 59 at the opposite extremities of the bit. The front faces of the disintegrating points are, in this. instance, formed with hard metal inserts Bor other 6. hard material. for resisting wear- The cutter bit is reversible and either portion of. the bit body is receivable in the lug sockets, and set screws Els. threaded in top openings in the lugs', are adjustable into engagement withy the inactive bit por'- tions received in the lug sockets for securing the bits in position on the cross bars with the .active disintegrating points extending forwardly and outwardly from the lugs in the manner shown The lugs` are so arranged on the cross bars that a desired staggered relation ofv the bits on the chain is provided. Set screws 63 threaded iniv the cross bars are adjustabley into apertures 64. in. certain of the chain blocks for securing the cross bars in position on the chain blocks, in a manner similar to the embodiment above described. The set screws 63 may be released to permit endwise .withdrawal of the cross bars from the chain blocks of the chain, When one disintegrating point of a bit becomes dull the set screw El may be released and. the bit withdrawn from the lug socket, and the bit may then be reversed end-for end and reinserted in the lug socket and secured in position by the set screw in the manner .fully disclosed in my copending application Ser..No. 57,047 above referred to.

In both embodiments the disintegrating. and conveying chain during use is rapidly circulated about its guideways on the swingable frame Yor bar structure 9 and the chain links, of the .top run of the chain move along the flat outer surface of the top plate 32 with the tips of the disintegrating teeth, as the chain links move rectilinearly along the top plate, lying substantially in a common transverse plane to provide what is known as a table top arrangement of the teeth. The teeth move in a curved path as they pass around the roller 34 at the outer end of the bar structure and then move rearwardly along a. rectilinear path so that as the chain is fed into the coal or other mineral the latter is rapidly dislodged in relatively large fragments, eiciently .and relatively smoothly.

As a result of this invention an improved mining chain is provided which is not only efficient in operation but is extremely rugged and com pact and which has disintegrating teeth which may be quickly reformed or sharpened when desired. By the provision of. the improved chain link structure an endless chain of the continu.- ous mat type is provided having a moving. `upper surface for receiving and conveying disintegrated material. The novel structure of the .chain blocks, straps and cross. bars. and the. novel arrangement of the disintegrating teeth on the latter, result in a simplied and extremely rugged chain design. By mounting transverse .rows of disntegrating teeth on the cross bars and by re.- leasably mounting the crossbars in guideways on the chain blocks rapid assembly and dismantling of the teeth. are possible. Byforming the disintegrating. teeth with wear resisting disintegrating points the life and cuttingv emciency ofVV the teeth are. greatly improved.. B-y the provision of the mat type construction it is possible. to reduce the vertical dimension of the bar structure and re- .duce the size of the drive sprocketand guiding roller so that the curvature of the. path: of the chain at the outer extremity of the bar is maintained at a minimum resulting in an improved dislodging action on the coal -or other mineral to be dislodged. Other advantages of the invention Will be clearly apparent to those skilled :in the art.

While there are in this application specifically described two forms which the invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that these forms of the same are shown for purposes of illustration, and that the invention may be modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

vWhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: i l. A disintegrating and conveying chain of the relatively nat and wide endless mat type especially designed for mining purposes, comprising a series of relatively narrow, elongated transverse lchain link members spaced apart in parallelism longitudinally of the chain and extending crosswise substantially the full width of the chain and a series of closely spaced relatively narrow chain links pivotally connected to said transverse link members, said link members and said links `cooperating to provide a chain of substantially greater width than its height having an upper 'conveying surface of substantial area, each of said parallel transverse link members having -series of closely spaced front and rear lugs perforated by alined parallel, front and rear openings for receiving elongated hinge pins, said links fitting closely between said lugs and pivotally engaging said hinge pins, said parallel transverse link members each having a transverse guideway extending lengthwise thereof completely thereacross and including parallel front and rear guide flanges at the outer surface thereof, elongated cross bars having lateral guides freely insertable from a side of the chain endwise within said guideways in engagement with said flanges into coextensive relation with said transverse link members and each cross bar having a series of laterally spaced disintegrating teeth distributed along its length at the outer surface of the chain, and cooperating releasable means carried by said cross bars and said link members for securing 'said cross bars in position on said link members to prevent endwise displacement thereof from said guideways and releasable at will to permit free removal of said cross bars in any chain position without dismantling said link members, links and hinge pins.

2. A disintegrating and conveying chain of the character set forth in claim l wherein said transverse link members have lateral gibs at the ends thereof beyond the outermost lugs adapted for engagement with the guideways of a guide bar structure whereby said chain is guided for orbital circulation solely at its sides and its inner surface, and said cross link members providing the inner guide-engaging surface.

3. A disintegrating and conveying chain of the character set forth in claim 1 wherein certain `of said cross bars have their disintegrating teeth .staggered with respect to the teeth of the other .cross bars, and certain of said cross bars provided with laterally inclined teeth at the ends thereof .beyond the ends of said transverse guideways whereby the disintegrating chain may disintegrate solid material to remove a wide segment thereof of greater width than the chain guide of a bar structure with which the chain is adapted for association.

`4. A disintegrating and conveying chain of the endless, relatively flat, endless mat type guided for circulation in a non-circular orbit, comprising a series of transverse chain link members spaced apart longitudinally of the chain and a series of relatively narrow closely spaced chain links pivotally connected to said transverse link members whereby said link mni= bers and said links cooperate to provide a relatively large conveying surface of a width equal to several times the height of the chain, said link members being relatively narrow and elongated and extending substantially the full width of the chain, and each link member having a transverse guideway, a cross bar freely insertible endwise from a side of the chain into each guideway into coextensive relation with its cooperating link member and having a series of laterally spaced disintegrating teeth distributed along the length thereof, and releasable means on said cross bars and cooperating with said link members for securing said cross bars in position on said link members thereby to prevent endwise displacement of said cross bars from said guideways and releasable at will for permitting free removal of said cross bars in any position of the chain without dismantling said link members and links.

5. A disintegrating and conveying chain of the relatively ilat and wide endless mat type especially designed for mining purposes, comprising a series of relatively narrow, elongated transverse chain link members spaced apart longitudinally of the chain and extending crosswise substantially the full width of the chain and a series of closely spaced relatively narrow chain links pivotally connected to said transverse link members, said link members and said links cooperating to provide an upper conveying surface of substantial area, each of said transverse link members having series of closely spaced front and rear lugs perforated by alined parallel, front and rear openings for receiving elongated hinge pins, said links fitting closely between said lugs and pivotally engaging said hinge pins, said transverse link members each having a transverse guideway including parallel front and rear guide flanges at the outer surface thereof, elongated cross bars having lateral guides insertible endwise within said guideways in engagement with said flanges and each cross bar having a series of laterally spaced disintegrating teeth distributed along its length, and cooperating means carried by said cross bars and said link members for securing said cross bars in position on said link members to prevent endwise displacement thereof from said guideways, said securing means including a set screw threaded in an opening in each cross bar intermediate certain of the disintegrating teeth and an aperture in the associated link member at the bottom of the guideway therein for receiving the inner end of said set screw.

JOSEPH F. JOY.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 824,839 Bentson July 3, 1906 1,131,071 Monahan Mar. 9, 1915 1,410,503 Porter Mar. 21, 1922 i 1,765,602 McKnlay June 24, 1930 1,841,268 McKnlay Jan. 12, 1932 2,057,684 Joy Oct. 20, 1936 2,289,464 Simmons July 14, 1942 2,398,675 Sloane Apr. 16, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 405,088 Great Britain Feb. 1, 1934 578,555 Germany June 15, 1933 

